Take into Account When Ordering a Refrigerated Van

by Ronel Forbes

September 26, 2022

Knowing your operational conditions is crucial when obtaining a refrigerated van for your company. This can help you avoid ordering the wrong vehicle, which could be expensive and time-consuming.

The van is referred to as a temperature-controlled vehicle in technical jargon. Keep in mind that you do not actually need a ref system when you only need to maintain the box’s ambient temperature.

What you need is an insulated dry box with sandwich panels that are roughly two inches thick (ISP). A chiller with an ISP of roughly three inches thick is required to maintain a temperature range of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.

A freezer and an ISP that is roughly four inches thick are what you will need if you require coldness of -25 degrees Celsius.

Things to Consider:

Cargo to be transported

The required temperature can be determined with the help of the cargo type. Knowing these commodities’ melting point or melting temperature is also crucial.

This will assist in identifying the kind of cooling system a chiller or freezer that is required.

The Nature of Your Business

Sydney refrigerated van rentals run in a variety of conditions and temperatures. Which one you need will depend in part on the type of business you operate.

Your flowers must be kept fresh and at a temperature of 5-7 degrees Celsius if you own a flower business. A dual temperature truck that can hold both warm and cold temperatures simultaneously is required for food catering enterprises.

To maintain the quality of their products, businesses that sell beverages need a temperature between 0 and 8 degrees Celsius. A vehicle must have a minimum temperature of -18 degrees Celsius in order to transport frozen goods including ice cream, meat, and poultry.

A truck with a split compartment can help prevent cross-contamination and guarantee that all of your items are fit for human consumption.

Required temperature

The type of cooling unit required, as well as the thickness of the ISP to be utilized for the ref van body, will depend on the desired transport temperature or temperature range. Since ref vans have a thermostat and a temperature controller that let you to accomplish this, you may also have a freezer unit that can also be used as a chiller, if necessary.

If the cargo merely requires an insulated dry box, the ref system can also be turned off.

Operating method

It is important to inform your ref van supplier of how you load and unload your cargo, whether the ref system is on or off during loading and unloading, how long it takes to load and unload, how many hours or kilometers a typical delivery cycle would be, how many stops are included in a typical delivery cycle, how many kilometers, and whether the ref system is on or off during loading and unloading.

Body size and specs

The size and specifications of the cooling system’s parts, such as the compressor and the fan that creates the air flow inside the box, will depend on the vehicle body’s dimensions. It’s also crucial to understand the ideal ISP thickness because it affects how quickly and effectively the target temperature is reached and maintained over time.

Extruded polystyrene is a good option for an ISP because it has a low thermal conductivity, is lightweight, and is less water-absorbing (XPS).

Freight payload

The truck’s gross vehicle weight (GVW) and truck body size are both influenced by the amount and weight of the load.

Recommended brand and ref system for trucks

If a customer wants to buy a new van, he will typically speak with the most dependable truck manufacturer in his fleet. He might have chosen the best ref system for the load as well. It is advised to consult a ref van supplier that can mix and match body sizes with truck brands and models as well as with ref system brands in order to determine the suitable body size and specifications that will enable the company to realize economies of scale.

It is recommended to go to a nearby ISP manufacturer who has a place where the ISP panels can be cut and trimmed to the required sizes.

Verify if the ref van provider has upgraded the alternator because some truck engines are not specifically built to handle the additional power necessary by the compressor.

The truck supplier’s warranty coverage and track record for providing nationwide after-sales service in terms of qualified technicians and spare parts support should also be carefully examined.

Suitable Alternatives

It’s also crucial to be aware of the truck features that are offered, as there are a lot of alternatives designed to improve productivity for your company. To make loading and unloading easier, some trucks come with a side door at the curbside.

Others include a hydraulic tailgate lift that makes it easier to load and unload bulky items at the back. Some truck manufacturers include a backup 220-volt power supply option to power the compressor and fans if you need to utilize the ref van as a storage facility overnight.

Conclusion

You might also think about investing a lot of money in a refrigerated truck for your company if you need to move things around. However, if you’re still not sure if it’s worthwhile, you can always hire a fridge truck as a cost-effective solution to deliver your goods securely and reliably.

Prior to selecting a vehicle, keep in mind that your choice should be based on the type of business you have, the needs you have, and the anticipated duration of use.

Your company van must be insured for future safety guarantee.